Jharkhand, a state marred by political uncertainty, has witnessed a series of significant developments within a single day, creating ripples across the political landscape. As the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Party and the opposition engage in a bitter political feud, analysts suggest that the state stands at the brink of profound implications.
The political upheaval in Jharkhand began with the arrest of the then Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday night in a land scam case involving money laundering. Since then, continuous political developments have dominated the headlines. From the breaking news of Transport Minister Champai Soren’s appointment as the next Chief Minister to Jharkhand JMM and Congress MLAs traveling to Hyderabad, all eyes are fixed on anticipating what the future holds.
Today alone, the state has witnessed three pivotal developments:
1. Hemant Soren Sent to Five-Day ED Custody:
Following his arrest, former Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM Chief Hemant Soren were remanded to five-day Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody by a PMLA court. Hemant Soren was apprehended late on Wednesday in connection with a land scam case.
Jharkhand’s Advocate General, Rajiv Ranjan, commented on Hemant Soren’s arrest, stating, “ED prayed for 10 days of remand, but we objected to it. ED has been granted only 5 days of remand. The order is yet to be uploaded. Our primary concern is the security of Hemant Soren… The case is fabricated, and the arrest is unlawful…”
2. Supreme Court Directs Hemant Soren to Approach Jurisdictional High Court:
On a day filled with legal proceedings, the Supreme Court refused to entertain Hemant Soren’s petition challenging his arrest by the ED. Instead, the court directed him to seek legal recourse through the jurisdictional high court. The bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, M M Sundresh, and Bela M Trivedi stated, “We are not inclined to entertain the present writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India and leave it open to the petitioner to approach the jurisdictional high court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.”
3. Champai Soren Sworn in as New Chief Minister:
Amidst these developments, Jharkhand witnessed a swift power transition. Champai Soren, a senior leader of the JMM and a prominent figure in the Jharkhand statehood movement, assumed the role of Chief Minister on Friday. He was administered the oath of office by Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan.
